Herion



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Feb. 2, 1960 H. HERloN 2,923,927

ELECTRICAL WARNING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1957 F-J- E21 80 7278 INVENTOR. HENRY HER/om' Y mimi.

HTTORNEY United States Patent ELECTRICAL WARNING DEVICE Henry Herion, New York, N.Y.

Application January 8, 1957, Serial No. 633,033

11 Claims. (Cl. 340-251) My invention relates to electric warning devices and is directed more particularly to an automatic device which warns of failure of an electric source of illumination and provides a substitute source of illumination until the failure is corrected, and which at the same time can be used as a burglar alarm.

In many places, such as in multiple dwelling buildings, factories, laboratories, hospitals, schools, vinstitutions and other public buildings, for example, it is highly desirable or even required by law to have continuous illumination in hallways, stairways, at entrances, exits, in cellars, etc. The continuous electrical illumination supplied in such places by the usual filament-type lamps or uorescent tubes is often interrupted by burn-outs or breakage without knowledge of the superintendent or other person in charge, resulting in a dangerous darkened condition in the area. tion and the attendant danger thereof, there is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 541,336, led October 19, 1955, and entitled Illumination Failure Warning Device, a simple device for use in association with a source of electric light, which gives an audible warning upon failure of the light and which also supplies auxiliary lighting upon such failure until the fault is corrected. The present application is a continuationin-part of the above mentioned application.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a warning device of the character described which embodies remote switch means operative when actuated to energize the warning signal or auxiliary lighting independently of failure of the main source of illumination.

Another object of my invention is to provide a warning device of the above nature which, when the remote switch is temporarily close-circuited by an intruder, a burglar, or by a person wishing to actuate the warning alarm in a hurry in case of a hold-up or other emergency, is operative to lock in the alarm signal or signals so that they will continuously remain energized until a reset button on the alarm device body itself is manually actuated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a warning device of the above nature which has switch .means on the body of the alarm device for rendering from sounding as a bell to sounding as a buzzer to allow' coordination between the alarm sound and the function of the device, and thereby enable bystanders to distinguish between failure of the main light and a hold-up or burglary, for example.

In order to eliminate such failure of illuminay l Still kmother object is to provide .a device of the above t nature which can readily and simply be installed by anyone without the use of tools and which can be simply plugged in for electrical connection.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a top view of a device embodying my invention with the end portion of the cover broken away to show interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a side view, with portions of the housing broken away along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, of the device installed for use with a filament-type of electric lamp; and

Fig. 3 illustrates the device adapted for use with a fluorescent tube.

In brief, my invention consists of a burglar alarm system comprising one or more remotely placed switches placed to be temporarily tripped by a burglar, for example, or actuated by a person wishing to warn of an emergency, such as a hold-up, in combination with a device which audibly warns of failure of an electric source of illumination, and which is operative to independently energize the audible alarm, and maintain the audible alarm energized upon tripping or actuation of one of the remote burglar alarm switches until a reset button on the device is manually actuated. Means is provided for converting the audible alarm from sounding as a bell to sounding as a buzzer to enable bystanders to distinguish between failure of the main light and actuation of one of the remote burglar alarm switches.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the warning device embodying the invention comprises a base member 10 having an annular wall 12 with a central opening 14, said annularwall being integrally formed with a short, cylindrical wall 16 extending outwardly of the periphery of said annular wall. A pair of supporting posts 18 are riveted or otherwise securely fixed at one end at diametrically opposite positions against the inner surface of the annular wall 12 for the purpose of assembling thereto a cover member 20, similar in shape to that of base member 10, but preferably heavier and of somewhat larger diameter. To this end, the outer ends of the supporting posts 18 are of reduced diameter and threaded as at 22 for passage through complementary holes in the cover member 20, whereupon said cover member can'be secured in place by a pair of thumb nuts 24 to form a housing with said base member. The base member 10 and the cover 20 are coaxially assembled relative to each other so that the central opening 26 of said cover member is in alignment with the central opening 14 of said base member. The cover 20 is formed with a short inwardly-extending sleeve 27 surrounding the central opening 26. Fitted over the inner end of the sleeve 27 is a thin cylindrical sleeve 29 of non-electrically conductive material. The cylindrical wall 28 of cover 20 is outwardly spaced from the cylindrical wall 16 of the base member 10, and the inner surface of the annular wall 30 of said cover is spaced from the outer edge of said cylindrical wall, whereby the only mechanical contact between said base member and said cover is through the supporting posts 18.

Means responsive to heat being radiated by a lamp or fluorescent tube passing through the housing constituted by the base member 10 and cover member 20 is provided, said means comprising an varcuate bi-metallic element 32, mounted at one end to an insulating block 36 and having its outer end extending about 270 .around the outer surface of the sleeve 29 when the cover member 20 is in place.

The outer end of the bi-metallic element 32 has an electrical contact 38 normally in contacting engagement with a fixed contact 40 (as illustrated by the full-line representation in Fig. l) but adapted to separate and break contact (as illustrated by the broken-line representation in Fig. l) when said bi-metallic element is heated by normal operation of the fluorescent tube or lilament lamp with which the device is being used. The electrically insulating sleeve 29 protects the bi-metallic element against damage upon inserting the lamp with which the device is used. It also offers protection against accidental shock if a tool should be inserted within the central opening of the housing by mistake.

The insulating block 36 may be secured within the base member as by a pair of screws 42. The mounted end of the bi-metallic element 32 is preferably spot welded to amouting lug 44 fastened to the insulating block 36 by a screw 48. Electrical connection screws 56, 52 are threaded in respective openings in the block 36 and the lug 44 for wiring hereinbelow to be described. The insulating block 36 is also provided with a terminal screw 54 for anchoring the electrical wiring, as will be more particularly described below.

Mounted in diametrically opposed openings in the base member 16 are a pair of electrical sockets 58, 60 equipped with low wattage emergency lighting lamps 62, 64, as can best be seen in Fig. 2.

Secured within the base member 10 at a position opposite the insulating block 36 is a magnetic coil unit '70 having a laminated core 72. The coil unit is preferably mounted by means of machine screws 74, 76 extending through openings in the ends of the core 72, through respective sleeve spacers 7S, 80, and into the annular wall 12 of the base member 10. An iron armature 32 having a liexible loop end portion 84 riveted or otherwise fastened to the cylindrical wall 16 of the base member 10 has its other end bent into a stepped portion 86 extending in spaced relation along one end of the core 72 to be attracted for vibratory motion when the coil 70 is excited by alternating current, as hereinbelow described. The stepped portion 86 terminates in a downwardly-extending hook 88 for the purpose hereinbelow explained. The armature 82 is provided with a pair of spaced, outwardlyextending lug portions 83 having aligned openings for frictionally supporting a striker rod 3S. One end of the striker rod 85 has a ball 87 which can operate through an opening 89 in the cylindrical wall 16 of the base member 10 to repeatedly strike the cylindrical wall 28 of the cover member 12 when the electro-magnetic coil 70 is energized by alternating current to sound a loud and clear bell alarm. The other end of the striker rod 8S extends through openings in the cylindrical walls 16 and 28 and is provided with a bent-over portion 93 facilitating manual outward pulling of the striker rod 85 to render the striking action against the cover member 12 inoperative, resulting in a buzzing alarm signal. Preferably, the audible alarm is set for buzzer action when the remote burglar alarm switches are operable, so that bystanders` can readily dis- -tinguish between failure of the source of illumination and actuation of the burglar alarm system.

Considering now the electrical wiring of the device, it will be seen that an electrical plug 92 is interconnected with the terminal screws S2, 54 by a pair of wires $4, 96 extending through an opening 97 in the insulating block 36 and the annular wall portion 12 of base member 16. The terminal screw 54 is also connected with one terminal each of the sockets 58 and 60 and the coil 76 by insulated wires 98, 100 and 102 respectively. The remaining terminals of each of the sockets 58 and 601 and the coil 7@ are connected to the connector screw 50 by insulated wires .104, 106 and 108 respectively. The iixed contact 40 is connected'to the upper terminal screw of the socket 53, to which insulated wire 104 is connected. it will 10 by a screw 142.

be apparent that the sockets 58 and `60 and the magnetic coil 70 are all connected'in parallel with the plug '92 through the contact 38 of the bi-metallic element 32 and the fixed contact 40.

As mentioned above, my alarm device may be used with iilament-type electric lamps or fluorescent tube lamps. ln order to apply the device for use with ilament-type lamps, a screw collar 112 is provided, said screw collar being removably xed'against the outer surface of the annular Wall 12 of the base member 16 and in surrounding relation with respect to the opening 14 therein by two or more screws 114 (see Fig. 2). Thus, the warning device can readily be screwed upon the threaded end of an electrical adaptor 116. Use of the adaptor 116 conveniently allows plugging in the electrical plug 92 for energizing the device without the necessity of special wiring. The adapter 116 is screwed in the usual ceiling or wall lamp receptacle 118 at the place where the device is to be installed. When the lamp L is lighted by current supplied through the adaptor 11.6, heat from the neck of the lamp will raise the temperature of the bi-metallic element 32 whereupon it will separate from contact with fixed contact 46 (as illustrated by the solid-line representation thereof in Fig. l) to open the energization circuit to the auxiliary lighting lamps 62, 64 and thealarm coil 70 supplied through connecting plug 92. When the lamp L burns out or fails for any other reason other than failure of current supply, the bi-metallic element 32 will cool olf and thereupon make contact with fixed contact 40 to close the above-described energization circuit to the emergency auxiliary lamps 62, 64 and the electro-magnetic coil 76. Emergency lighting and audible warning of the lamp failure, will continue until the inoperative lamp is replaced, and the reset pin 148 is manually pushesd in to reset the trip arm 136 with respect to the hookSS of armature 82, as is hereinbelow described.

If the audible signal is not desired in addition to emergency lighting, means is provided for rendering the armature 82 of the electro-magnetic warning coil 70 inoperative, the same comprising an insulating support block 124 fixed within the base member 10 by a screw 126 and a headed lock pin 128 slidably disposed in an opening in the support block so as to be movable when pushed inwardly to wedge between the core 72 of the electro-magnet 70 and the stepped portion 86 of the armature 82. The pin 128 ts closely within the opening in the support block 124` so that it is frictionally held in place in one position or the other.

The alarm device is also provided with a plurality of selectively operable remote switches 130 (only one shown), preferably of the push-button type, connected at remote positions by wires 132, 134 for actuating the alarm independently of failure of the source of illumination to which the body of the device is attached. The switch wire 132 is connected to one terminal of a single-pole single-throw switch 133 which is mounted in the cylindrical wall 16 of the base member 10 and which passes through an opening 135 in the cover member 24). The other terminal of the switch 133 is connected by wire 137 to terminal 52. The switch wire 134 is connected directly to terminal 50. Thus, when the switch 133 is closed, the switch wires 132 and 134 are in shunt with the bi-metallic element contact 38 and fiixed contact 40, whereby energization of the lamps 62, 64 and the coil 70 is effected immediately upon actuation of the switch 130. The remote switch 130 can be rendered inoperative when desired by setting the switch 133 at open circuit position. Means is also provided to lock in the energization circuit for the lamps 62, 64 and the coil 70 once energized temporarily by a switch 136, the same comprising a resilient metallic trip arm 136 having one end secured by a pair of screws 138 to an insulating support block 14@ secured within the body The other end of the trip arm 136 is normally held in withdrawn position with respect to the 4Contact 40 by the hook 88 of armature 82, as shown in the full-line representation of said arm in Fig. 1. The arl l 136 is connected by an insulated wire 146 to terminal screw 52, whereby, upon the armature being moved inwardly upon its first being energized, said arm will be released to fall against and make contact with fixed contact 40 (as illustrated in the broken-line representation thereof in Fig. l), effectively establishing a continuing short circuit across switch wires 132, 134 to maintain continued energization of the auxiliary lamps and the electro-magnetic buzzer 70. A loose fitting insulated reset pin 148 is provided in support block 124 operableto push the trip arm 136 inwardly so that it can be reset again with respect to the hook 88 of armature 82 Fig. 3 illustrates the device according to the invention applied for use with a fluorescent lighting tube T. For this purpose a friction collar 120 is used instead of the screw collar 112, said friction collar having slots 122 allowing resiliency in the collar for ysecure mounting about one end of the tube T. The plug 92 for energizing the device will be plugged into any convenient outlet. The heat radiated from the end of the fiuorescent tube T when in operation is suicient to maintain the bimetallic element 32 in open-circuit position. Failure of the tube T will result in audible warning and emergency lighting by the auxiliary lamps 62, 64 as described above in connection with Fig. 2.

Obviously many modifications and variations ofmy invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What I claim is:

1. in an electrical warning device, the combination comprising a structure having an opening adapted to receive a body portion of a lamp, normally closed electric switch means in said structure responsive to heat radiated by the lamp when in operation, said switch means being operative to open circuit when the lamp is in operation, electrical warning means in said structure, circuit means including said switch means and said warning means for energizing said warning means when said electrical switch means is closed, a remote electrical switchconnected in parallel with said switch means for energizing said warning means independently of said switch means, said remote electrical switch comprising a push-button switch, and means controlled by actuation of said push-button switch for maintaining energization of said warning means indefinitely after deactuation of said push-button switch.

2. In an electrical warning device, the combination comprising a structure having an opening adapted to receive a body portion of a lan-1p, normally closed electric switch means in said structure responsive to heat radiated by the lamp when in operation, said switch means being operative to open circuit when the lamp is in operation, electromechanical sounding means in said structure, circuit means including said sounding means for energizing said sounding means when said electric switch means is closed, a normally open remote electrical switch connected in parallel with said switch means for energizing said sounding means, and means controlled by momentary closure of said remote switch for maintraining energization of said sounding means after opening of said remote switch.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said heat responsive switch means comprises a bi-metallic element.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said heat responsive means comprises an arcuate bi-metallic strip surrounding said body portion of said lamp.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said sounding means comprises an electro-magnetic alarm and wherein said energization maintaining means comprises a normally open lock-in switch connected in parallel with said heat responsive switch means and controlled by actuation of said alarm.

6. In an electrical warning device, the combination comprising, a structure having an opening adapted to receive a body portion of a lamp, normally closed electric switch means in said structure responsive to heat radiated by the lamp when in operation, said switch means being operative to open circuit when the lamp is in operation, electromechanical sounding means in said structure, an auxiliary lamp mounted in said structure and connected in parallel with said sounding means, circuit means including said sounding means and said auxiliary lamp for energizing said sounding means and said auxiliary lamp when said electrical switch means is closed, a remote electrical switch connected in parallel with said switch means for energizing said sounding means and said auxiliary lamp independently of said switch means, and means controlled by actuation of said remote-switch for maintaining energization of said sounding means and said auxiliary lamp upon deactuation of said remote switch.

7. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said sounding means comprises an electro-magnetic vibratory device and wherein said energization maintaining means comprises a normally open lock-in switch connected in parallel with said heat responsive switch means and controlled by actuation of said vibratory device.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 including means for resetting said lock-in switch in its normally open position.

9. The invention as denned in claim 2 wherein said electromechanical sounding means comprises a vibratory striker and means for controlling said striker so that it sounds selectively either as a bell or as a buzzer.

l0. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining energization of said sounding means comprises a normally open-circuited trip switch, and a movable armature on said sounding means, said trip switch normally being held in one position by said armature, said trip switch being released for movement into a second close-circuiting position upon movement of said armature.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 including a manually operable reset pin in said structure for returning said trip switch from said second position to said first position.

Derby Feb. 8, 1938 Herion Mar. 26, 1957 

